A hateful task
just finished installing the instrument panel pad's vinyl on our 57. this is the forth one i've done in the last 30 years, and its still a challenge. in order to install the vinyl without any wrinkles or tenting, follow these tips. first job is to clean off all the old mastic that the general's supplier used to attach the vinyl to fiberglass . lacquer thinner will softern the contact cement and a sharp pen knife along with a 3-m scotch guard pad will get ya close to sterility. finish the cleanup with 150 grit sandpaper. an absolutely mastic-free fiberglass surface is manditory if ya want the new adhesive to stick..then ya gotta go buy a heat gun if you lack one. the wife's hair dry blower won't get hot enough quick enough. the heat gun will soften the vinyl and allow for stretching of the vinyl over the concave and convex surfaces of the fiberglass. needle nose pliers(with wide bill) will come in handy here if your old fingers can't git er done.adhesive of choice is 3-m yellow weather strip adhesive. (3-M Trim
Adhesive is lacking in strength).start glueing the two pieces of the vinyl to the fiberglass on both ends(where the stitching of Al Knoch's vinyl is located). once the ends have adhered, move on to the eyebrow areas above the speedometer and speaker half-moons.you'll need to make cuts in the vinyl on its unexposed surfaces to allow for stretching.final adherance area is the middle of the assembly(the easy part).after each area is bonded with the weatherstrip adhesive , i wrap the vinyl to fiberglass areas with masking tape. next morning, there should be no wrinkles/tenting. if wrinkles exist, see yer local dermatologist or plastic surgeon for Botox. i've only got two more of these dash pads to deal with, a 55 and a 56. after they are done, i wouldn't get out of the electric chair to do another. good luck with yours. mike
Adhesive is lacking in strength).start glueing the two pieces of the vinyl to the fiberglass on both ends(where the stitching of Al Knoch's vinyl is located). once the ends have adhered, move on to the eyebrow areas above the speedometer and speaker half-moons.you'll need to make cuts in the vinyl on its unexposed surfaces to allow for stretching.final adherance area is the middle of the assembly(the easy part).after each area is bonded with the weatherstrip adhesive , i wrap the vinyl to fiberglass areas with masking tape. next morning, there should be no wrinkles/tenting. if wrinkles exist, see yer local dermatologist or plastic surgeon for Botox. i've only got two more of these dash pads to deal with, a 55 and a 56. after they are done, i wouldn't get out of the electric chair to do another. good luck with yours. mike
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